Coastal Fishing in the Province of Surigao del Sur: A Case Study

Eduard Jan Eleazar Plaza; Harry Santiago Pairat Achas

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.85344

Coastal Fishing in the Province of Surigao del Sur: A Case Study

Author(s)	Eduard Jan Eleazar Plaza, Harry Santiago Pairat Achas
Country	Philippines
Abstract	This qualitative case study examined illegal fishing practices among small-scale fishers within the coastal context of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. Specifically, the study explored the forms and methods of illegal fishing, the socio-economic, environmental, and governance factors contributing to their persistence, their impacts on fishing communities and marine ecosystems, and participants' perspectives on improving compliance with fisheries regulations. The study was anchored in Southern Green Criminology, Political Ecology, and Environmental Justice, which provided complementary perspectives for understanding environmental offending within resource-dependent coastal communities. Data were gathered from small-scale fishers and qualitatively analyzed to identify recurring patterns and themes. The findings revealed that participants engaged in prohibited practices, including the use of unregulated lobster fingerling traps, triple nets, compressor-assisted spearfishing, and fishing within marine sanctuaries or during restricted periods. These practices involved deliberate decisions influenced by poverty, unstable income, dependence on fishing, limited livelihood alternatives, declining marine resources, and inconsistencies in enforcement and monitoring. Although prohibited fishing practices provided immediate economic benefits and addressed short-term household needs, they also contributed to declining fish populations, the capture of juvenile species, disruption of reproductive processes, and increased pressure on protected marine areas, thereby threatening long-term livelihood sustainability. Moreover, participants recognized the importance of fisheries regulations and expressed willingness to comply when viable livelihood alternatives, sustained institutional support, accessible regulatory processes, and consistent enforcement were present. Overall, the study concluded that illegal fishing in Cantilan was a multidimensional environmental and criminological concern shaped by the interaction of individual decision-making, socio-economic vulnerability, ecological decline, and governance conditions. The findings underscored the importance of balancing individual accountability with an understanding of structural conditions and highlighted the need for consistent enforcement, sustainable livelihood support, community participation, and collaborative environmental governance to strengthen compliance and protect marine resources.
Keywords	environmental crime, environmental justice, fisheries governance, green criminology, illegal fishing, small-scale fishers, sustainable fisheries
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-08-09
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.85344

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Coastal Fishing in the Province of Surigao del Sur: A Case Study

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